Yamanwhata?
by Swift-Star9
Summary: How Yamantaka chose Renzou Shima.


**A/N** : What? A fic of mine that _doesn't_ involve Yukio or Toudou? Impossible!

This fic came from a daylong visit to the Asian American Art Museum in San Francisco, free the first Sunday of each month. I highly recommend visiting!

 **Disclaimer** : I own neither Blue Exorcist nor Renzou. Frankly, I haven't forgiven that jackass for joining in on the "mindscrew Yukio" bandwagon!

* * *

At the beginning of the Ansei Era, a monk named Fukaku defeated a monster that plagued all Japan. However, the left eye of the monster remained. In order to protect the land from misuse of this powerful artifact, fifteen Buddhist clans founded Kongou Shinzan and Temple.

To outside eyes it was a strange medley of families. Fukaku's bloodline, the Suguro clan, was at the center of the Temple despite having been unknown until the Impure King's defeat. Miwa and Shima, bloodlines older than the Suguro clan and the exorcism-focused Buddhist teachings that became Myouou Dharani, followed. The Shima family was particularly renowned throughout Southeast Asia, both as teachers of esoteric Buddhism and bodyguards skilled with the shakujo. The reasons for this hierarchy were shrouded in mystery even within the temple.

Decades passed. The Boshin Wars, "fukoku kyohei", occupation… What had once been common knowledge to all inside the walls became stories passed from generation to generation. As Japan modernized, the Temple responded with seclusion, driving several clans to depart the Temple.

The Shimas stayed, long after the Shima name had lost renown. When asked why, they claimed the "pride of the Shima family". Few understood what that meant, and those who did would take that secret to their grave.

If the world knew they had bound one of the Five Wisdom Kings…

* * *

"Are you ready?"

Juuzou's point blank question made Renzou groan. He'd completely tuned out of the conversation but he could guess what his older sib meant. It was only the hundredth time in the last week.

"Man, Juu-nii, you don't hafta be so uptight about this. I just walk into a circle, talk to a big scary monster and then I'm back. It'll be a breeze!"

Juuzou sighed, massaging his forehead. Renzou knew the you-just-set-dad-off look. Sorry Juu-nii, had to be said.

"This isn't a joke!" Yaozou barked. The creases in his face were showing. Renzou wondered when so much of his old man's hair had turned gray. Wait a minute. Oh yeah, he remembered. It was when the elementary school reported that he'd been flipping up girl's skirts. Enjoying his glorious youth, that's what he should be doing! Instead here he was, sitting in the Crane room of Toraya Inn.

His dad could sure look like the Wrathful Buddha when he got mad.

"This is our last chance. You have to take this seriously Renzou. When you go to him you must convince him that we, the Shima clan needs his strength again. The Shima family is the striking arm of the Myou Dha. Things are starting to change and there will be a need for us to rise…"

Blah blah blah, thought Renzou. Yeah, the Shima-family-saves-the-world speech. Heard it only a thousand times before.

"Do you understand?"

"Of course!" he replied in a sing-song voice. It was now Yaozou's turn to massage his head.

"This isn't going to work," Yaozou's muttered under his breath. He got up from his seat and left the room. "If only Takezou was still alive…"

Renzou figured he wasn't supposed to hear that, but he was practiced at hearing things he shouldn't.

"You didn't have to mock him like that," Juuzou said. "You know he's worried about you. He's worried about all of us."

"I don't get it Juu-nii," Renzou slumped. "How's contracting with this Yamanwhata supposed to do anything? I mean we're not supposed to talk about him anyways."

"It's Yamantaka!" Juuzou flicked Renzou's head.

"But to answer your question… He is our family's ace-in-the-hole."

"Yeah, but dad's strong. You're also strong, mister First Middle Class."

"Middle First. Look." Juuzou suddenly look old. Renzou almost gagged. Juuzou had only been on away missions for only a couple years since graduating, no need to look like dad. "There's things out there, Renzou. Stronger than all of us. Yamantaka has one of the strongest anti-demon powers known. Black flames. They destroy demons," he snapped his fingers, "just like that."

"Can't chants and whacking something with a khakkara do that?"

"Chants can but we don't know them all. Using a sword or khakkara can rid an object of whatever's possessing it, but the demon lives."

"Hmph. Can't we just ask Yamantaka to lend us the flames for a bit if we really need it?"

"You gotta pay more attention!" Renzou barely registered the gold-haired idiot known as his brother running into him.

"What the fuck? What are you doing?"

"Watch your language!" Kinzou ran his knuckles over Renzou's skull. "Yamantaka was captured by a brave Shima man in the Kanpo era! They fought for seven days and nights on a high mountain until his flames were turned against him, forming a prison he cannot escape. The only time he can leave is when he chooses a Shima man, only one in each generation."

"Stop that already!" Renzou let out the grating whine.

"Kinzou, stop please," Juuzou said. Kinzou stopped and switched to holding his shoulders.

"Yamantaka's scaaary, He's like this big huge water buffalo, with flaming eyebrows and-"

"Kinzou."

"Don't worry bro, Yamantaka might've decided he liked Take-nii best."

"Kinzou!" Juuzou was fuming.

"It's okay, y'know?" Renzou spoke up. "I mean, the world's not gonna explode if Yamantaka decides that he's not interested."

Juuzou nodded. "Alright. But Renzou… please try," putting heavy emphasis on the word.

* * *

Chanting, seals, incense… how boring.

He'd been waiting here for nearly an hour, standing inside a summoning circle holding his khakkara. Juuzou had nagged him to stay away from the center. That's where the "flaming water buffalo" would be. Augh, so troublesome. He wanted to get this done with and go back to his magazines.

"Good luck Renzou!"

"Eh?"

"Make Takezou proud!"

Suddenly the sounds were gone except for fireplace crackling. Everything was pitch black.

"Eh? Where'd you guys go?" He sheepishly said to the darkness.

A sound like logs in a fireplace falling boomed. He clapped his hands over his ears and closed his eyes, as it got louder, drumming to fevered pitch and then ceased.

When he opened his eyes again, he saw gray-white light flowing like water into the air. Lines of black cut through them like an ancient calligraphy scroll. As he stared, he began to make out a face.

Damn. So Kinzou wasn't kidding when he described this guy as a water buffalo with flaming eyebrows.

"I am Yamantaka," boomed the deity. "I am the West of the Taizokai. I am the Defeater of Death. And you…" Those flaming eyebrows raised slightly. "Are puny."

"Haha, you think so?"

"Weaselly too. Now speak. Go on. Tell me all about how you are the last hope for your family, the righteous and noble Shima clan, and how they need my help."

"Bleh!" Renzou comically gagged. "Righteous? They're tiresome. Always going on and on about duty and bloodline responsibility."

"You aren't selling yourself very well," the demon dryly observed. Renzou had the oddest feeling, but went on blathering.

"Why even partner with them anyways? Aren't there better folks to hang with? Oh yeah, they stuck you in this cage thing…" He wasn't sure how but he felt the deity bristle. Huh, that seemed to piss it off.

"Y'know, we're both stuck by the 'righteous and noble' Shima clan," Renzou used air quotes. "Both here right now because of 'em. I ain't exactly the one to do proud talk about the family."

The deity was silent, and again Renzou got that odd feeling. There was something strange about the flames that had started since he began talking, and it was growing in intensity. He first thought it was anger, Yamantaka being a Wrathful Buddha and all that. But the flame-face had an expression.

If it were human, he'd say it was curious.

Wait a min. A curious demon? That wasn't right. Clearly this was getting to be just about too much bother for him!

"Y'know," he waved his arms in front of him. "Let's forget about this whole thing. I've come in here, did my thing. Feel free to just send me out right about now like you did with my sibs. Would save us both a lotta time."

He suddenly lost balance. What the- the ground was bouncing? No, the wrathful deity was laughing, deep enough to rattle the prison!

"You! I like you! You're not like the others. You're puny, sneaky, dishonest and don't hide it. You think like one of us. I could get used to you."

He jumped as the staff he'd forgotten he'd been holding burst into black flames. What the f-?

"Congratulations, Chosen."

The final thunderclap boom set his ears ringing. The darkness dissolved around him and he was back at home in the circle.

"What is it guys?"

The ringing persisted and if they said anything back, he couldn't hear it. All of his family was staring at him. Kinzou's jaw had dropped. He'd never seen dad's eyes so huge.

He looked down and saw the staff was still engulfed in bright black flames.

"Wait. What."


End file.
